1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to night lights. More particularly, the invention relates to night lights that utilize light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the source of illumination. Specifically, the invention relates to a night light in which the direction of the emitted light can be controlled by adjusting a portion of the housing and/or by controlling the orientation of the LED array within the housing.
2. Background Information
Night lights are used to provide low levels of light in passageways, bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms so that people can negotiate their way around the house during the night without having to switch on the overhead lights or lamps and totally illuminate the room.
Most night lights incorporate incandescent light bulbs which emit omnidirectional light. Other night lights incorporate one or more LEDs (light-emitting Diodes) or banks of LEDs which emit a cool light. One of the problems with previously known night lights is that they emit light in many directions which may make it difficult for a person to move about without light from the night light shining into their eyes.
Directionally controlled night lights have been disclosed in the prior art. Some night lights include shields that obscure at least a portion of the light emitted from the light bulb in the night light and thereby permit only a portion of the light to be emitted from the night light in a desired direction.
Other previously known night lights include the night light disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,231 to the present inventor, Robert Dickie. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,231, there is disclosed a first night light in which a reflector is mounted adjacent the light bulb and the position of the reflector is adjusted to change the direction of the light emitted thereby. A second night light is disclosed in the patent which includes a LED array which can be rotated through a small arc to alter the direction of the light emitted from the array. A third embodiment of night light is disclosed which includes a bezel mounted translucent front face. An incandescent light bulb is mounted within the housing and between the front face and the rear wall thereof. A louvered element is positioned behind the front face of the housing and is rotatable therewith. When the night light is activated, light emitted from the bulb passes through the louvered element and the louvers change the angle of the emitted light relative to the front face. When the front face is rotated, the louvered element is moved in unison therewith and, consequently, the direction of the light emitted from the night light is altered.
Previously known night lights have only allowed for the direction of the light emitted from these devices to be controlled in a limited manner, typically allowing for the direction to be changed through a fairly narrow arc, typically in the order of no more than between 30° and 150°.
There is therefore a need in the art for a night light that allows an individual to alter the direction of the light emitted by the night light through a larger arc and that allows the direction of the light to be altered both vertically and horizontally.